


Sur Mes Lèvres (Read My Lips)

by LadyoftheMasque



Series: Read My Lips [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Gavin Reed, Asexual Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gentle Kissing, Love struck Nines, M/M, Nines has it bad for Gavin, Nines is like a puppy, Nines won't give up, Nines won't take no for an answer, PWP without Porn, Persistent RK900, Pining, Strained Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 08:52:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18913621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyoftheMasque/pseuds/LadyoftheMasque
Summary: “Read my lips, Nines,” Gavin spat with all the venom and anger he had left in him, “I will never change my mind; I will never love you or want to be with you!”Nines is smitten with Detective Gavin Reed, and he sets his mind on wooing the angry man every chance he gets. Some would say he is foolish, as Gavin insists he can’t-and won’t-ever see Nines that way. Undeterred, Nines isn’t going to give up, not even when he finds out that Gavin is asexual…





	Sur Mes Lèvres (Read My Lips)

**Sur Mes Lèvres (Read My Lips)**

 

When Gavin opened his apartment door, he wasn’t surprised to see Nines standing in a black pinstripe three-piece suit, looking his best as he held a box of chocolates in one hand, and a single red rose in the other. Gavin had seen this sight at least thirty-five times in the last two months alone, and he was seriously considering getting a restraining order on the RK900, now.

Ever since they’d been partnered up at work, Nines had doggedly pursued Gavin with increasing amounts of adoration and fondness. He stared at Gavin everywhere he went like a love-sick puppy, with hearts dancing about in his eyeballs the entire time. It was absolutely nauseating.

Gavin had tried ignoring the romantic displays of affection, but after a week, he’d resorted to yelling, swearing, and almost physically assaulting Nines. Still, the love-struck android didn’t cease and desist; and he tried to woo Gavin even more and more as the days passed into weeks, and the weeks passed into months.

Normally, Gavin would’ve commended someone this passionately obsessed about pursuing a love interest, but as it so happened, Gavin knew he would never, _ever_ be able to return Nines’ affections.

It wasn’t because Gavin wasn’t gay, it wasn’t because he was already involved with someone else, and it wasn’t because he hated androids…no, none of these were reasons at all. In fact, the sole reason why Gavin rejected Nines, was that because he was asexual.

Life wasn’t easy for a man who had no libido and no interest in pursing any kind of a relationship, and Gavin had hidden it well from his friends, relatives, co-workers, and potential suitors for years. He had barely been a teenager when he heard his friends already talking about girlfriends and boyfriends, and as they spoke so fondly about the prospects of dating, love, and sex, Gavin felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t understand back then what was wrong with him, but as an adult-and after years of therapy-he came to the conclusion that his body and biological and psychological makeup was entirely different than other people’s. He chose to accept it, and he lived the way he was quietly, keeping most of his private life to himself well up until he worked as a Detective in the Detroit Police Department. Work had gotten so busy, that no one noticed his single status for years and years…plus, he worked hard to keep up a façade of an asshole, and it wasn’t too long before hardly anyone approached him to even talk to him, let alone ask him out…that was, until Nines came along.

The damn RK900 was just too persistent, and from the moment they met, Gavin knew he was going to be a problem. The stupid android just _had_ to be different in everything he did. He dressed like a funeral director half the time, but then gradually-after Gavin had insulted him numerous times-he changed his style of clothing to mainly suits and expensive tuxedos. It was a long shot away from wearing the damn CyberLife uniform he’d been discovered in, but Gavin still didn’t like him. He knew that Nines was only dressing up to impress him, and it made his gut clench in an uncomfortable manner. Gavin was certain that if he told Nines to shave his head, he would more than likely do it. The android just was made to try and please and impress Gavin, but it never worked.

Gavin avoided him beyond work hours, but Nines wasn’t one to ever give up. It seemed he really enjoyed the challenge; constantly coming after Gavin at all hours of the day, and even taking his obsession with the shorter man so hard that he begged Captain Fowler to let him access the private employee database so he could find where Gavin lived.

Gavin was beyond furious with Captain Fowler when he gave in just like that, and handed over all the information. Now, Nines knew when Gavin’s birthday was, he knew where he lived, he knew his postal code, and he even began collecting Gavin’s mail for him every week. He would slide it in through the mail chute at the bottom of his door whenever Gavin didn’t have time or forgot to collect it, and it was driving the other man up the walls in no time.

Soon, other items aside from mail and letters had been jammed in the slot in the door. Gavin found a necklace hanging on the edge of the slot one day when he came home from work, he found a brand-new cat collar for his orange tabby another day. Once, he even was gifted with a brand-new black tie, and a fresh carton of cigarettes, though there was a note attached to the back of the package that read: **I hope you can quit soon, Detective, as these are very unhealthy for your lungs. I know that it’s not easy to quit ‘cold turkey’, as Connor puts it, so I’ll help you along the way with your addictions. You can always count on me, and don’t hesitate to approach me for anything.**

The note had been crumpled into a tiny ball, and Gavin had whipped it in Nines’ face the next morning at work.

He’d done all sorts of things to try and get Nines to stay away; he’d nailed the mail slot door shut, he’d posted notes all over his door asking Nines to fuck off, he’d changed seats at work, he’d left early, or sometimes late, and he even once waltzed into the Break Room fridge, grabbed a pitcher of ice-cold lemonade, and dumped it on the top of Nines’ head when he sat down beside him.

If anything, this last act had landed him in a world of trouble at work, and Captain Fowler forced him to take the rest of the week off to just think. Gavin thought of it as an early vacation, and he hardly left his apartment during this time off. He’d been losing track of time and enjoying the decrease in harassment, that is…right up until he opened his door to head out and jog.

Nines stood before him, dressed so fancily, and Gavin was wearing blue shorts, white running shoes, and a basketball shirt. He hated himself so much for wearing such revealing clothing, but he had no idea Nines was still somehow watching him and checking up on him.

He glared at the flower, pushing it aside with two fingers as Nines offered it up eagerly to him to take. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work, Nines?” he groused, shaking his head at Nines as he took a step back.

Nines only rewarded his snappy tone with a dopey smile. “It was pretty quiet today; we all got out early.”

Gavin sighed, “So you chose to come here and bother me instead…” he nodded, “…lovely.”

Nines held up the flower, “Do you like red roses? I heard red is your favorite color!”

Gavin sneered at him, refusing to even regard the stupid flower. Just the smell of it alone was making him sick, and he hated thinking of the implications and the symbols behind the red rose. It all started even with the color; red. Red symbolized love, romance, beauty, and it was a color he’d seen his mother wear for his father…he hated it.

“I don’t know where you got that knowledge from, Nines,” he hissed coldly, “but I hate the color red, and I hate roses.”

Nines stared down at the rose, and he looked a bit confused. After a second, a smile was back on his face. “No matter!” he chirped happily, “we can go out and get you one in the color you want! I know this fancy place just a few blocks down, and it—”

Gavin growled, “No, Nines,” he shook his head slowly, hoping the point would hammer in home for the dull android. “I’m not going anywhere with you; not now, not ever.”

“Oh…” Nines stared at the chocolate, next, and he offered it to Gavin.

Gavin turned his nose up at the chocolates, even though they smelled lovely. “I don’t need that either, Nines,” he pointed down to his running shoes, “I need to stay in shape.”

Nines looked at his body for a moment, and a lopsided smile was on his lips. “You look fine to me, Gavin,” he stated pleasantly, his voice deep-yet colorful and warm…like chocolate…

Gavin once again felt the feeling of nausea washing over him. He crossed his arms over his chest as he shrugged off images of Nines staring at his body. His body was his own, and he hated that other people were staring at it like it was theirs. Nines had no right to look at him like an object of pleasure, and he hated that Nines was even doing it now on his doorstep.

He puffed his chest out. “Listen, Nines,” he shoved the box of chocolates out of the way, “I don’t want to hear about what you think about my body, alright? I don’t need your chocolate, I don’t need your roses, and I certainly don’t need your company, alright?” he had tried keeping it pleasant, but he knew he was getting angry. He hoped Nines would let go, before his neighbors wondered what was going on in the hallways.

Although his tone had been meant to cut through flesh and bone, it barely affected Nines at all. It rolled off his shoulders, and he merely beamed at Gavin as he held the chocolate box out to him. “That’s alright, Gavin,” he merrily chimed, “you can maybe give these to your mother or father if you like!”

Gavin bit his tongue. It was an accident; a reaction from what Nines had said, but he was so angry as the pain seeped and seared through his mouth and knocked into the back of his throat. He wanted to yell and scream at Nines; he wanted to bash his head in. But he couldn’t do any of those things, and he instead chose to take another step back from the tall android looming over him. Their bodies were too close, and he felt himself getting sick and dizzy from it. He could go his entire life without being this close to someone, and he didn’t like that Nines was invading his personal space.

He should’ve reached out with a hand to shove him aside, but Gavin didn’t even want to touch Nines. The tactile senses weren’t ones he wanted to explore and develop, and he realized now that he’d gone nearly a year and half without touching a single person. Even whenever he was out arresting a perpetrator or gathering evidence from a crime scene, Nines had always been the one handling majority of the ‘touching’ while Gavin stood by and barked out orders, instructions, or insulted everyone and everything in sight. Was touching really that disgusting and foreign to him even now when he needed it, and should have been using it to get the damn bane of his existence off his property?

For once, he really didn’t know anything, and he refused to think about touching Nines more than he already had. His breakfast was going to end up on the floor, otherwise, and he didn’t need the embarrassment of that weighing on his shoulders. It was already terrifying enough that Nines was here before him, and he needed to get him as far away as possible.

It was time to be rude and crass. Politeness clearly wasn’t going to work, and he was through with using that.

“Look, Nines,” he began in a rumble much like thunder in the dark night, “why can’t you just have some dignity for yourself and take the damn hint already?”

Nines gave him a very wide-eyed, confused look. “I don’t understand what you mean, Gavin,” he pressed out innocently, and the tone of it bothered Gavin’s ears. It seemed to almost plead to his higher senses; as if somehow begging his humanity for another chance Nines didn’t even deserve. It was grating, and Gavin didn’t want to hear it.

He held his hands down tightly at his sides. “You know very damn well what I’m talking about!”

The android offered him a puzzled look as he shook his head once, “I don’t, Gavin…”

“You do!” he pointed a finger at him, but he was careful not to touch the android. “These past few months Nines,” he took in a sharp breath, tugging on his hair, “I swear, I can’t take it anymore!! You are constantly bothering me and harassing me with your displays of…” he grew gaunt, and he pressed a hand against his stomach.

How could he even say the word that bothered him and troubled him so much?!? Did Nines even understand what was associated with the things he was doing? Actions and symbols held implications, and Nines was overstepping those boundaries!

“If you really cared about me,” Gavin began, choosing to go another direction entirely, “you would just stop, and leave me alone once and for all!!”

Nines listened to him and took it all in. For a long time, he merely stared at Gavin coldly, but then, a warm smile drew on his face. His LED light glowed blue, and it was as bright as his eyes. He looked so happy, and Gavin couldn’t understand why. He’d just rejected him…again!! What was Nines so happy about??? Maybe he was malfunctioning or something…anyone else would’ve thrown the rose into Gavin’s face and walked away while cursing at him! But Nines?? He looked as ecstatic and pleased as if Gavin had given him the gift of a lifetime, and Gavin couldn’t understand what he’d said and done to leave the android looking so happy. It was so strange, and he shook his head at the sight of it as he pressed his back against the front door to his apartment. It swung open slightly, and Nines’ eyes looked up quickly once into the apartment behind Gavin, and then, he was staring intently at Gavin again.

He stood tall as he smiled widely. “I didn’t mean to trouble you or put you through turmoil, Gavin,” he said in a gentle, warm tone that wasn’t unpleasant to listen to, “all I wanted was one date with you; a chance to just take you out and treat you nicely as I feel you deserve to be treated. That’s all.”

Gavin felt his blood boiling. This asshole. Where did he come off trying to force him out on a date for??? Was he deaf, suddenly?! Or did he just have some kind of selective hearing problem??

Stepping towards Nines, Gavin pointed at his lips sternly. “Read my lips, Nines,” Gavin spat with all the venom and anger he had left in him, “I will never change my mind; I will never love you or want to be with you!”

Nines beamed at him. “I’m sure if I treat you well, you can change your opinion about me later; I have seen it happen with many people we work with!”

“I’m not just ‘anyone’ you work with, Nines! Why don’t you get it?!?” he took in a pained breath, as all the sad memories slammed into him. He’d never felt so angry with himself in his entire life, but now that Nines had admitted to not wanting to give up on him, Gavin felt horrible. Didn’t Nines truly see that he was setting his hopes and dreams on a dead-end lost cause??? Gavin felt he was damaged, broken; something was wrong with him, and he couldn’t offer Nines anything in the way of a relationship! He needed to hear the truth, and then maybe, _maybe_ he would finally come to his blasted senses and give this up!

Counting to three slowly, Gavin sighed sadly as he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked over his shoulder behind himself into the apartment, and he decided that lingering in the hallway to discuss this wasn’t going to do any good.

He motioned behind himself. “Come on, let’s talk inside.”

Nines followed him in gently, softly taking off his shoes as Gavin drew back some curtains and plopped down into a single sofa seat. He glared at Nines until the RK900 put the chocolates down on a small table in the hallway. He still held the rose proudly in a hand, but he set it down on the coffee table in front of the loveseat as he chose to sit down on the seat closest to Gavin. The other man sneered, staring at the chocolates, and then at the rose.

Gavin felt his skin crawling. Bits of Nines’ DNA and essence had been transferred onto those things, and now they were in his apartment. Nines was also in the apartment-in his living room-but he was beyond caring. What was ten minutes of his life of explaining things in order to be left alone forever? Ten minutes versus his whole life? He would take the ten minutes of suffering if it meant he’d be free.

He placed his hands on bony knees as he stared at Nines’ chin instead of his eyes. God, even eye-contact hurt him, so he focused on how shapely Nines’ facial layout and structure was, and he ignored how the android was trying to catch his attention and eyes. Stubbornly, Gavin tilted his head away anytime Nines tried meeting his eyes.

The clock ticked loudly in the next room on a wall, and it only added on to Gavin’s growing sense of anxiety. He really needed to get this over with so he could go about his day.

Pointing at himself, he then grabbed at his shirt desperately. “Nines,” he let out a dry laugh that portrayed sheer pain, “look at me, you don’t want me!”

Not even hesitating for a second, Nines smiled, “Yes I do, Gavin.”

The other man gaped at him for a few seconds, and then snapped out of it. “No you don’t, and even if you did, I’m not the best choice for you as a first-time love interest, Nines!!”

Tilting his head curiously, Nines raised a brow. “Why not?”

“Because!” his breath got caught in his throat, and for a moment, a weird noise flew out of his throat. It sounded like a pained animal crying, and Gavin snapped his mouth shut. He breathed through his nose, his nostrils flaring until he calmed down enough to talk.

“Nines,” he held his hands up as he tried hanging onto his patience slipping away from him like a snake in the grass, “Nines, there’s something terribly wrong with me…” he looked back at the android’s chin, “…I’m broken or something…I don’t know! But all I know is that you need to go around and explore your s-s-sexuality with someone else, okay?!?”

Again, the puzzled expression was all he had, and Nines pressed out, “Why?”

Gavin closed his eyes. “Because! I just can’t, Nines!! I’m…I’m…” what had he been about to say?!?! Gavin clamped a hand over his mouth, and he trembled as he closed his eyes and turned his back to Nines. He shook like a small twig caught in a storm, and Nines watched him as his expression softened.

“Gavin,” Nines drawled softly, “I know what you’re referring to—”

Gavin rounded on him angrily, “No you freaking don’t Nines!! You have no idea what it’s like to go through what I do on a regular basis!!!”

Nines looked deeply into his eyes, even though Gavin had barely turned around. “Your asexuality doesn’t bother me, Gavin.”

Nearly crashing down to his knees, Gavin let out a pained cry. “You…you…h-h-how d-did you…”

Nines smiled a sad smile. “I told you; I want you, and I went out of my way to really study you and get to know you for a while before I chose to pursue you.”

Gavin couldn’t believe it. Was Nines really saying what he thought he was?? He decided to ask for himself, and he swallowed nervously as he fought to keep his hands on his lap, just so Nines didn’t see them trembling.

“Are you…are you s-saying that there’s no problem with h-how I am??” the words finally left his mouth, and they lingered about like smoke in the air between Nines and Gavin.

The tall android crossed a leg over the other as he stared down patiently at the floor, thinking about his answer before he smiled fondly at Gavin. “I will admit, I do have questions,” he started, voice gentle and soft, “but knowing your orientation has already cleared up a great many of them. What is left now is discussing your boundaries and wishes. I do not want to make you uncomfortable in any way Gavin, and I wouldn’t ever push or pressure you into doing things you won’t agree with just to make me happy. I feel there are many things I can give you with clearly given restrictions beforehand.”

Gavin pounded a fist on the armrest of his sofa. “NO! Don’t you say that to me!” how could Nines say such accepting, endearing words?!?! Did he think Gavin was made from stone?!? He was going to break apart, and perhaps that was Nines wanted all along!

Feeling so angry, Gavin got up aggressively, resisting the urge to really kick Nines in the face. He stood before him, shaking angrily as he spat down at him, “You came all this way just to laugh at me, and since you know I am a damn freak of nature now, you’re going to go back to the DPD and tell everyone and they’ll all have a good laugh behind my back! Right?!?!? RIGHT NINES?!?!”

Nines merely stared at him until Gavin realized they were making eye contact. It bothered him, but he found he wasn’t feeling sick to his stomach like before…no, he could really keep staring at Nines, now. What had changed suddenly???

Expecting an outburst as loud and aggressive as his own from Nines had been Gavin’s undoing. Nines surprised him by merely standing up, and as he stood towering over Gavin, he only offered him a sad, shy smile.

“I wouldn’t dare to do such a thing to you, Gavin,” he stated honestly, “but if you choose to believe that, it’s your decision, and I will try to respect it while proving you wrong.”

Again, Gavin felt like exploding. This time, he didn’t care that he was going to violate his sense of control and dignity. He grabbed Nines by the collar of his suit, and he shoved him down hard against the seats of the loveseat. He climbed on top of him, and he pressed their noses and foreheads together.

Gathering all his strength, he bellowed out before Nines, “DON’T YOU GET IT, YOU MORON?! I’M FUCKING DAMAGED! I CAN’T GIVE YOU SEX, AND I’LL NEVER GIVE YOU SEX!!! BUT YOU STILL WANT ME?!? YOU’RE THAT BLIND AND STUPID, HUH?? WHY DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TOGETHER, I CAN’T GIVE YOU A SINGLE THING ANYONE ELSE WHO’D BE A BETTER OPTION WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU?!?!?”

When he’d finished screaming, and when he knew he couldn’t scream anymore, he let out a noise that was a mixture between a cry, and a whine. He let Nines go, and he got up to his feet as he paced back and forth, up and down, and in little circles around Nines.

The android got up slowly, but he kept his hands down by his sides as he looked down at the floor unenergetically and almost in a lifeless manner. “It’s nothing dirty or sexual, Gavin; it never was,” he whispered soothingly, and this time, Gavin hung his head low and wiped his eyes furiously.

Not only had Nines made him scream, lose control, and grab him and touch him, but he’d also made him cry. Gavin hadn’t cried since the death of his grandfather, and this was even worse and more alien to him than holding another person close. Now, he was a total wreck, just as he had been back then, and he still didn’t want to be held or have someone to hold him.

He refused to look at Nines, but he could feel the android shifting closer to him as his eyes bore down in the back of his head. “I want you for who you are as an individual, Gavin Reed,” Nines gently breathed out, and his breath hit the back of Gavin’s skin, and warmed up every inch of his body slowly, like the first sunlight melting away the winter snow as spring approached.

“I won’t ever even expect sex from you if you can’t do that, I promise…” his voice grew a little high pitched, indicating that he was highly emotional, and it sent Gavin off the end of the bridge he never knew he was even on.

“…I just wanted to be with you, Gavin,” Nines pressed on eagerly, “I would’ve waited for you for years and years, and I still want to…please…”

That ‘please’ had been the end for Gavin.

He turned around, and before he knew what he was doing, Gavin found his hands flying up slowly towards Nines, and they both rested with the palms flat against the android’s broad sternum. Gavin gasped at the same time Nines did, and they stood gaping down at Gavin’s hands. It was as if this were a dream, and Gavin looked up at Nines nervously, taking his time as he focused on his chin for at least three minutes before he felt comfortable enough to look at his lower lip.

That had been as brave as he was for now, and he looked away, though his hands were still on Nines’ sternum. Something shifted, and then a rustling sound was heard. Gavin saw a large hand coming up slowly, and Nines held it in the air by his eyes.

“Would…could I hold your hand, please?” He raised his eyes from where they had been fixed on their hands and finally, Gavin met his gaze carefully. They couldn’t look away from each other; they were unable to. Both men were fixated on each other’s eyes, and slowly, Nines lowered his hand. It was moving in extra slow-motion, and Gavin summoned up the courage to nod his head ‘yes’.

Nines let out a relieved cry of joy, and he very gently and tenderly pressed his hand on the back of Gavin’s. It didn’t feel bad at all, and Gavin closed his eyes, scolding himself for how crazy and irrational he’d been to fear such an innocent, gentle touch. His heart was beating wildly as if he’d been running a race, but he didn’t remove his hand from Nines’, and he didn’t push the android away.

“Would it be alright if I kiss your lips now, Gavin?” Nines’ eyes were shining with countless emotions and Gavin had trouble deciphering even one of them; it was just too much. If touching hands wasn’t so bad and didn’t hurt him, perhaps one kiss wouldn’t be too much…would it?

Before his heart could change his mind, Gavin nodded. “You may kiss me, Nines, yes…”

He let his eyes drop to Nines’ lips, the gentle slope of the cupid’s bow, the plush jut of his lower lip. They looked soft. Gentle. Hiding the sharp lying teeth just behind them. He wanted to initiate something, and he was tired of being frightened.

He nodded, unable to form any words when Nines asked him if he was certain this was what he wanted.

Immediately Nines pulled their linked hands to his face, taking a deep breath of his skin, before he closed his eyes and pressed a soft and fleeting kiss to the center of Gavin’s lips while they held hands. It was warm and dry, and Gavin felt moved and embarrassed at the strength of feelings he evoked in the man standing in front of him. He just closed his eyes when he saw Nines doing it, and he relaxed into the kiss. It was just the softest press of skin on skin; lips over lips, and that was as far as he trusted Nines to take it.

After what felt like minutes, Nines opened his eyes, tears making them shine in the light. He pulled away gently, and Gavin reached up and touched his lower lip delicately for a few brief moments, eyes wide as he stared at Nines’ lips in return. They were slightly swollen, but otherwise, unaffected.

“Was that acceptable?” Nines’ voice caressed his skin and ears like the kiss they’d just shared.

His voice sounded hoarse, and Gavin smiled. Nines had apparently been more affected by the kiss than he thought. Nines smiled back and leaned back, hands sliding out of Gavin’s as he tried giving the shorter man enough respect and dignity to own his own personal space once more. Gavin was avoiding Nines’ gaze in apparent embarrassment, but it wasn’t in a negative manner.

Internally, Gavin was overwhelmed. Nines had backed up enough to allow him to breathe, and he looked so shy. It was so adorable that Gavin’s heart fluttered lightly in his chest.

Nines straightened his suit out a little, playing with the tie for a few awkward seconds before he chuckled. “I hope you enjoy the gifts, Gavin,” he turned and slipped back into his black dress shoes.

Gavin watched him as he held his hands together right above his stomach. Over top of them, he could feel his heart beating against his chest, and it made him smile even more. He walked over to the front door, staring down at the floor whenever Nines looked up at him. Gavin’s cheeks were flushed bright pink, but he didn’t mind it as he nodded at Nines.

“Thank you for the chocolates, Nines,” he looked to the side, and nodded once again quickly, “oh, and thank you very much for the rose.”

Nines’ eyes shined beautifully. “My pleasure, Gavin.” He grabbed the door, pulled it open, and paused long enough to smile warmly and fondly at Gavin before he closed it shut softly.

When he was alone again, Gavin walked back over to his loveseat, and he sat down for a moment. He was unable to wipe the smile off his face, and he found himself touching the tip of his index finger to the center of his lips.

Something caught his eye as he looked up a little, and he smiled even wider when his eyes fell on the flower still sitting nicely on the coffee table before him. Leaning down to pick it up into his hands, Gavin pressed its large petals against the tip of his nose. His nostrils kissed the ruby petals, and he closed his eyes as he inhaled it deeply.

“Beautiful,” he breathed out contently.

He opened his eyes, and all he saw was red.

The more he thought about it, the more he found he loved the color red after all.


End file.
